Motor starter



April 6, 1937. E. c. PHILLIPS 2,075,865

MOTOR STARTER Filed March 2, 1936 Patented Apr. 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE MOTOR STARTER Elwood 0. Phillips, Evanston, Ill. Application March 2, 1936, Serial No. 66,666

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in starting mechanisms for engines, and more particularly for engines of automobiles.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and efllcient starting mechanism for automobile engines, wherein the starting motor is brought into operative driving relation' with the engine by establishing direct connection between the rotary driving element of the motor and the flywheel oi the engine.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the character described in the preceding paragraph, wherein operative connection between the starting motor and the engine is eifected by a simple and reliable friction drive means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a starting mechanism for engines including a friction drive mechanism between the starting motor and the flywheel of the engine, wherein the driving connection between the rotary driving element of the starting motor and the engine flywheel is effected by friction driving members, which are arranged so as to tightly grip the cooperating driving portion of the flywheel when the starting mechanism is thrown into operation.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of the engine and associated gear case of an automobile, illustrating my improved starting mechanism in connection therewith, the engine flywheel being 35 illustrated as enclosed in a casing and the wall of said casing being partly broken away to show the parts contained therein.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a control pedal and certain connections for the starting mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating another embodiment of the invention and fur- 45 ther illustrating certain electrical connections diagrammatically.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, transverse, sectional view of a portion of the engine flywheel, illustrating a modified form of flywheel.

In said drawing, III indicates the rear portion of an automobile engine, II the associated gear case, and I2 a casing or housing enclosing the usual engine flywheel, which is indicated by I3.

In carrying out my invention, as shown in Figs. 55 1, 2, and 3, I employ an electric starting motor ll of the usual type, the parts of which are enclosed in a housing having a sleevelike extension I5, through which the drive shaft I6 of the motor extends. The flywheel I3 has a laterally projecting, annular flange ll of V-shaped cross 5 section. As disclosed in Fig. 1, the flange I1 is formed on a ringlike band I8, which fits the flywheel and is fixed thereto in any well known manner. As shown in Fig. 5, the flange II may be cast integral with the flywheel and formed as a part of the rim of said wheel.

The starting motor I4 is preferably swingingly supported on the casing I2 by a ball and socket connection comprising an enlarged, partly spherical or ball-like portion 20 on the sleeve extension I5 of the housing of the motor, swiveled in a bearing seat formed in a sectional bearing 2| fixed to the casing I2. The sleeve I5 of the starting motor housing extends through the bearing member 2I into the casing I2, as shown inFig. 1, and is normally disposed in substantially parallel relation to the axis of rotation of the flywheel l3. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the casing I2 is provided with.a laterally extended portion forming a chamber 22 adjacent to the flywheel I3, which chamber houses certain parts of the mechanism, as hereinafter pointed out. The bearing member 2| is mounted on the front wall 28 of this chamber. The chamber 22 opens into the main portion of the casing I2 and forms a continuation thereof.

The shaft'IG of the starting motor II extends outwardly beyond the end of the sleeve I5 and has a rocking, leverlike member 24 journaled thereon. A friction drive pulley 25 having a V- shaped peripheral groove is fixedly mounted on the shaft I6 between the lever member 2| and the end of the sleeve I5. The grooved friction drive pulley 25 rotates with the shaft I6 while the lever member 24 is freely swingable on said shaft. The shaft I6 extends outwardly beyond the lever member 24 and a spur gear 26 is fixed tosaid outer end portion of the shaft. The leverlike member 24 has arms 21 and 28 extending in opposite directions from the journal portion thereof. The outer end of the arm 21 is forked, as indicated at 29, to accommodate the end of an actuating rod 30, which is pivoted to said end of the arm by a pin 3| extending through the arms of the forked portion 29 and the end of said rod. The arm 28 has a fixed bearing sleeve 32 at the outer end thereof, which is preferably formed integral with said arm. The bore of the bearing sleeve 28 extends parallel to the shaft I6 and a short shaft 33 is rotatably mounted therein. The opposite ends of the shaft 33 proiect outwardly of the bearing sleeve, and a spur gear 24 is fixed to one end thereof and meshes with the spur gear 26. A friction drive pulley l 5 is fixed to the other end of the shaft 22 and is located in substantially transverse alignment with the friction drive pulley 25. The projecting rim portion of the pulley 35 is of substantially V- shaped cross section, as shown, and is complementary to the V-shaped groove of the pulley 25.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the pulleys 25 and 35 are disposed respectively on the outer and inner sides of the rim ll of the flywheel i8 and are normally slightly spaced from said rim to 16 provide clearance therebetween to permit free rotation of the flywheel with respect to said pulleys. The lever 24 is held in said normal position by a set screw 36, which acts as a stop, as shown in Fig. 2, the set screw 36 being threaded through 20 the top wall of the chamber 22 of the casing 12.

As will be evident when the starting motor I4 is in operation, the pulleys 25 and 35 will be rotated in unison in opposite directions through the connecting spur gears 26 and 34. The rod 2 30 serves to actuate the lever 24, when desired,

to swing the same on the shaft l6 and bring the friction drive pulleys 25 and into clamping engagement with the rim I I of the flywheel i3 and effect rotation of the latter. The rod 30 ex- 30 tends freely through an opening in the top wall of the chamber 22 and is yieldingly held in raised position by a compression spring 31 interposed between the top of the casing and a fixed collar 38 on said rod.

h foot pedal is preferably employed to actuate the rod 3d. Such a pedal is illustrated in Fig. 3, in which the pedal is indicated by 39. The pedal 39 is carried on the upper arm of a bell crank lever til pivoted on a support 4! mounted on a flxed portion oi the frame of the automobile. The arm oi the bell crank lever 40, on which the pedal is carried, extends through the usual footboard of the automobile, said footboard being indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The lower arm 42 of the bell crank lever M3 is operatively connected to the rod Ziil, the upper end of the rod 30 being provided with a forked portion 43 receiving the extremity of the arm 42 and being connected to the latter by a pivot pin.

The usual electric switch is employed for controlling the operation of the starting motor H in a well lrnown manner. This switch is contained in a box 44 in the chamber 22 mounted on the bottom wall of said chamber. The box 44 is located below the lever 24. The switch is provided with an actuating button 45, which is located immediately below the outer end portion of the arm fil of the lever 24, to be engaged and actuated by said arm when the same is depressed.

The operation of my improved mechanism, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, in starting the automobile engine is as follows: The automobile driver depresses the pedal 39, thereby also depressing the rod 3t and swinging the arm 21 of the lever 24 downwardly. By this action the lever arm 28 is swung upwardly about the axis of the shaft i 6 of the starting motor I 4, thus bringing the friction drive pulleys 25 and 35 into tight clamping engagement with the V-shaped flange ll of the rim of the flywheel l3. At the same time, the outer end of the arm 21 of the lever 24 will engage and depress the switch button 45, closing the starting motor circuit and causing the motor to operate and drive the flywheel i 3 through the 75 friction drive pulleys 25 and 35.

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when the foot pedal 29 is permitted to rise, the spring 31 will return the parts to the normal position shown in Fig. 2, thereby releasing the frictional engagement between the pulleys 2H5 and the flywheel l3, and also opening the starting switch to stop the motor l4 by releasing the switch button 45. I

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4, it is pointed out that the structure shown therein is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception that a different form of means is employed for controlling the operation of the starting motor and effecting swinging movement of the lever which carries the friction drive pulleys.

As shown in Fig. 4, a solenoid coil A is mounted within the chamber 22 on the bottom wall i2 thereof and a reciprocating,'vertically disposed plunger 46 is actuated by said solenoid. The plunger 48 is yieldingly supported by a compression spring 41 interposed between the top of the solenoid and a fixed collar 48 on said plunger. As is well known, when the solenoid is energized, the plunger will be pulled downwardly against the tension of. the spring 41. The spring 41 returns the plunger to raised position when the solenoid circuit is opened. The upper end of the plunger 48 is pivotally connected to the forked outer end 29 of the arm 21 of the lever 24 to actuate the latter. As shown, the forked portion 29 of the lever arm 21 is horizontally slotted, as indicated at 49, and a pin 50 fixed to the upper end of the plunger 46 engages within the slots of the lever arm. This slotted connection is provided to prevent binding of the parts.

The electric circuit, in which the solenoid A is contained, includes the usual controlling switch, which is diagrammatically indicated at 5|. As further shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4, the circuit in which the switch is located leads from the usual storage battery 52 to the solenoid A and from said solenoid to the starting motor [4. As is well understood by those skilled in this art, when the switch 5| is closed, the current will flow through the solenoid A to the starting motor H. The solenoid A is thus energized to pull the plunger 46 downwardly and the motor i 4 is caused to operate. The plunger 46, through its operative connection with the lever 24, effects rocking movement of the lever and brings the friction drive pulleys 25 and 35 into operative clutching relation with the rim of the flywheel ii to drive the latter in the manner hereinbeforedescribed in connection with Figs. 1, 2, and 3. When the electric current is cut off to stop the starting motor l4, by opening the switch 5i the solenoid A will be deenergized, thereby permitting the spring 41. to expand and raise the plunger 46 and the arm 21 of the lever 24. The grip of the friction drive pulleys 25 and 35 will thus be released from active frictional engagement with the flywheel i3.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1; In an engine starting mechanism, the combination with an engine having a flywheel provided with a rim; of a lever member pivoted for swinging movement, said lever member having the pivot thereof disposed eccentrically to the axis of rotation of said flywheel; rotary friction Til drive members mounted on said lever member and arranged on the inner and outer sides of said rim; means for rotating said friction drive members; and means for rocking said lever memher on its pivot to bring said drive members into clamping frictional engagement with the inner and outer sides of said rim.

2. In an engine starting mechanism, the combination with an engine having a flywheel provided with a rim; of a rotary drive shaft; a lever freely pivoted on said drive shaft; a rotary friction drive member fixed to said shaft and disposed on the outer side of said rim; a second rotary friction drive member on said lever dis posed on the inner side of said rim; means on said drive shaft for driving said second named rotary friction drive member; means for rotating said shaft; and means for rocking said lever to bring said friction drive members into operative frictional driving contact with said rim of the flywheel.

3. In an engine starting mechanism, the combination with an engine having a rotary flywheel provided with a rim; of a starting motor having a rotary drive shaft, the shaft of said motor being disposed outwardly of the rim of the flywheel in parallel relation to the axis of rotation of said flywheel; a friction 'drive pulley fixed to said shaft and adapted to cooperate with said rim of the flywheel; a lever journaled on said shaft and having an arm extending inwardly of the flywheel; a friction drive pulley rotatably mounted on said lever arm and disposed on the inner side of said flywheel; and means for rock- Ilf ing said lever to bring said friction drive pulleys into operative clamping driving engagement with the rim of said flywheel.

4. In an engine starting mechanism, the combination with an engine having a rotary flywheel 40 provided with a rim; of a starting motor having a rotary drive shaft, the shaft of said motor being disposed outwardly of the rim of the flywheel in parallel relation to the axis of rotation of said flywheel; a friction drive pulley flxed to said shaft and adapted to cooperate with said rim of the flywheel; a lever journaled on said shaft and having an arm extending inwardly of the flywheel; a friction drive pulley rotatably mounted on said lever arm and disposed on the inner side so of said flywheel; means for rocking said lever to bring said friction drive pulleys into operative clamping driving engagement with the rim of said flywheel; and means actuated by movement of said lever for starting and stopping operation of said motor.

5. In an engine starting mechanism, the combination with an engine having a flywheel provided with a rim; of means for rotating said flywheel including a starting motor having a drive shaft, and a pair of friction pulleys driven by said shaft and adapted to grip the inner and outer sides of the rim of the flywheel, one of said pulleys being fixed to the drive shaft; lever means on which the other pulley is carried, said lever means being pivotally mounted on said shaft; and means for swinging said lever means to operatively engage said pulleys with the rim of the flywheel.

6. In an engine starting mechanism, the com bination with an engine having a flywheel provided with a rim; of a starting motor having a rotary drive shaft, said shaft being disposed adjacent to the rim of said flywheel; a lever pivoted on said shaft, said lever having oppositely extending arms; means engaging one arm of said lever for swinging the lever on its pivot; a friction drive pulley journaled on the outer end of the other arm of the lever and engageable with the inner side of said flywheel rim; a second friction drive pulley fixed to said shaft and engageable with the outer side of the rim of the flywheel; and means operatively connecting said shaft and first named pulley for rotating the latter.

'7. In an engine starting mechanism, the combination with an engine having a flywheel provided with a peripheral annular flange of V- shaped cross section; of a pair of rotary friction drive pulleys disposed respectively on the inner and outer sides of said rim, one of said pulleys having a V-shaped groove and the other having a complementary projection adapted to grip opposite sides of said V-shaped flange of the flywheel; means for simultaneously rotating said pulleys in opposite directions; and means for bringing said pulleys into frictional clamping engagement with opposite sides of said flywheel flange.

8. In an engine starting mechanism, the combination with an engine having a flywheel provided with a rim; of a rotary drive shaft adjacent to said flywheel rim; a lever freely swingable on said rotary shaft, said lever having oppositely extending arms; means connected to one of said arms for swinging said lever; a rotary friction drive pulley mounted on the outer end of the other arm of said lever and disposed inwardly of the rim of said flywheel; driving connections be tween said pulley and said shaft; a second friction drive pulley fixed to said rotary shaft and disposed on the outer side of the rim of the flywheel; and means for actuating said connecting means to swing said lever and bring the friction pulleys into clamping driving engagement with the inner and outer sides of the rim of the flywheel.

ELWOOD C. PHILLIPS. 

